Comments on: Matthew Yglesias Talks Blogging http://donklephant.com/2008/07/11/matthew-yglesias-talks-blogging/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:07:11 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Pete Abel http://donklephant.com/2008/07/11/matthew-yglesias-talks-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-411534 Pete Abel Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:30:44 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=6299#comment-411534 redhorse makes good points. I blog and read blogs to pick up cues on how people think, dissect issue. Reading blogs often leads me to read work by "experts." In fact, since I've started reading blogs, I've read more by experts than I ever have. If you stop at blogs, well, then Yglesisa has a point. But if they serve as a portal to the information he apparently likes, then I think they serve a very good purpose. Besides, I've never believe the experts have all the answers. I put more stock in that whole wisdom of crowds thing. redhorse makes good points. I blog and read blogs to pick up cues on how people think, dissect issue. Reading blogs often leads me to read work by “experts.” In fact, since I’ve started reading blogs, I’ve read more by experts than I ever have. If you stop at blogs, well, then Yglesisa has a point. But if they serve as a portal to the information he apparently likes, then I think they serve a very good purpose. Besides, I’ve never believe the experts have all the answers. I put more stock in that whole wisdom of crowds thing.

]]> By: redhorse http://donklephant.com/2008/07/11/matthew-yglesias-talks-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-411513 redhorse Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:06:30 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=6299#comment-411513 Certainly, the mere fact that something is written does not make it worthy of reading, no more than my singing while driving makes me a worthwhile listen. Replace bloggers with reporters and does the analogy change? If not, and I see no reason to believe traditional msm reporters have any greater "expertise" in what they report, and it stands that reading newspapers is a worthless exercise. The overwhelming majority of Americans will never read a NYT, WaPo, LAT, or Tribune. Does that lessen there worth? And I agree with where I think you were going: if the purpose of a blog is to quickly disseminate the best available information, is subject-area expertise the goal? Certainly, the mere fact that something is written does not make it worthy of reading, no more than my singing while driving makes me a worthwhile listen.

Replace bloggers with reporters and does the analogy change? If not, and I see no reason to believe traditional msm reporters have any greater “expertise” in what they report, and it stands that reading newspapers is a worthless exercise.

The overwhelming majority of Americans will never read a NYT, WaPo, LAT, or Tribune. Does that lessen there worth?

And I agree with where I think you were going: if the purpose of a blog is to quickly disseminate the best available information, is subject-area expertise the goal?

]]>